Highwoods Properties announced Monday that it will develop a 241,000-square-foot, 9-story building in Memphis for International Paper.

The Raleigh-based real estate investment trust will invest $56.1 million in the build-to-suit project. International Paper will lease 100 percent of the building, which is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2015.

Highwoods already purchased the land for the project, which will be across the street from International Paper's world headquarters in the Poplar Avenue area of the city.

Highwoods owns 1.3 million square feet of space in the corridor.

This is the largest build-to-suit project for Highwoods since the company was selected in November 2011 to build a $48.4 million headquarters in Nashville for LifePoint Hospitals.

Highwoods shares closed Monday at $39.17, up 35 cents. The stock is up 17 percent this year.

RALEIGH – Upper Room Christian Academy senior Rodney Purvis has re-opened his recruiting process and announced a revised list of schools he’s considering for the 20012-13 season.

Purvis, a 6-foot-4 senior guard who pulled his verbal commitment from Louisville in May, said he’s now, in no order, considering offers from: Connecticut, Memphis, Missouri, N.C. Central, N.C. State, Ohio State, Virginia Commonwealth and Virginia.

Purvis and his mother, Shanda McNair, said they have no time frame on a decision, but may wait to after they take five official visits, interact with coaching staffs during home visits and thoroughly evaluate each program. 

“Instead of rushing into another decision,” Purvis said. “I get to sit down and talk with the coaches more. Gain relationship with every coach on the staff. Just get a good feel for the campuses ... and see what fits my style of play the best.”

Highwoods Properties is getting bigger in Memphis.

The Raleigh-based real-estate company spent about $52.6 million to buy Crescent Center, a 336,000 square-foot, nine-story office building on Poplar Avenue in the Tennessee city. The building is 89.5 percent occupied.

The deal gives Highwoods, one of the largest office landlords in the Southeast, 20 Memphis buildings with 2.1 million square feet.

Highwoods' shares, which are up 27 percent in the past year, rose 3 cents today to close at $30.55.

The company is scheduled to report its second-quarter financial results on Wednesday afternoon.

Memphis' promotion of Josh Pastner, who's close to Brian Clifton, certainly doesn't hurt the Tigers' chances of landing Raleigh Word of God point guard John Wall.

Adviser Brian Clifton, who heads the point guard's summer team, said the Word of God senior got a call last night from Carolina coach Roy Williams. But Clifton sounded more enthusiastic about Wall's recent visit to Carolina's rival, Duke.

Memphis is no longer the leader for John Wall.

John Wall says Memphis is still the leader among Memphis, Baylor, Duke, N.C. State, Kansas and Miami.

MEMPHIS — Add Roy Williams to a list that includes Oprah Winfrey, Emeril Lagasse, Joan Collins, Molly Ringwald, Chris Matthews, Paula Deen, Larry King and Kevin Bacon.

After Thursday, all have been official Honorary Duckmasters at the famous Peabody Hotel in Memphis.

MEMPHIS — North Carolina’s approaching NCAA Tournament third-round game against Gonzaga played a faint second fiddle in Memphis on Thursday. And Syracuse vs. Oklahoma? Third fiddle.

Even with the South Regional semifinals in town — Friday and Sunday in the FedExForum —  buzz for the games is light. There’s very little foot traffic around the building, no ticket scalpers out front, the usual Carolina groupies are all but nonexistent.

This quaint, but normally busy city, on the Mississippi River’s banks is locked, loaded and fully braced for the hometown Memphis Tigers’ Thursday NCAA West semifinal game against Missouri in Glendale, Ariz.